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P-G Endorsement not for Dara Ware Allen in April 2011
Holley in District 2: A school board challenger swears off raising taxes :Friday, April 29, 2011Sometimes an election brings a set of good candidates. That's the case in District 2, where three informed and articulate contenders are seeking nomination to run for a seat on the Pittsburgh school board in the May 17, 2011 primary. Dara Ware Allen, 38, of Highland Park was appointed to the job in 2009 by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, filling a vacancy in the district that includes Troy Hill, Washington's Landing, Spring Hill, Stanton Heights, Lawrenceville, East Allegheny, Polish Hill, Spring Garden, Morningside, Highland Park and the Strip District. At the time, we found her to be a first-rate choice, bringing relevant experience from her work as executive director of YouthWorks Inc., a nonprofit providing career preparation for at-risk youth, and from community involvement that included serving on the executive committee of the district's high school reform task force. Ms. Allen has been up to the task on the school board and has been an open-minded consensus builder, committed to improving the achievement of Pittsburgh youngsters. She is opposed in her quest for a full, four-year term by Regina B. Holley, 58, also of Highland Park, and Celina Basant, 36, of Spring Hill. All three candidates are Democrats, but Ms. Allen cross-filed as a Republican, as permitted by law, and is seeking the nomination of both parties. Ms. Holley retired as principal at Lincoln Elementary Academy last year. She spent 16 of her 35 years with the school district at Lincoln, where she developed a reputation as a strong, involved and thoughtful principal. Today she is a consultant for the state Department of Education and Indiana University of Pennsylvania and serves as board president of Naomi's Place Transitional Housing, which provides temporary shelter for women in recovery. Ms. Holley considers her run for the school board a natural progression in her education career, which would bring an insider's perspective to the board. She cites a need for more transparency, accountability, better governance and budgetary discipline. She also said, "I am steadfast on no increase in taxes." She believes higher taxes would be harmful to city residents and that economies can be found to balance the budget in other ways, starting by reducing the number of administrators. In contrast, Ms. Allen, who says she first would look hard at the budget for savings, acknowledged in her interview with Post-Gazette editors and on her campaign website that she would be willing to raise taxes, if necessary. The third candidate, Ms. Basant, moved to Pittsburgh in 2009. She is a biology teacher who was the assistant summer school principal and chair of the science department at Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction in New York City. She works as a substitute teacher in the Pittsburgh system and an instructor at Community College of Allegheny County. She is running because she wants to differentiate sound educational policies from fads. She said she's also frustrated by "the politics of the Pittsburgh school system" and wants to be an advocate for good teachers. While both challengers are well-spoken candidates, only Ms. Holley has enough knowledge and Pittsburgh experience to build a case for replacing the incumbent. Ms. Allen has a solid record on the board and is unopposed for the Republican nomination. But these tough financial times require school board members who are determined to deliver good education while keeping a lid on taxes. If Pittsburgh is to flourish as a city and attract new residents, it deserves nothing less. Regina B. Holley has earned the Post-Gazette endorsement for the Democratic nomination. First published on April 29, 2011 at 12:00 am Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11119/1142669-192-0.stm#ixzz1KwAeL916 Category:News coverage